Another Salt Lake City Marathon Bike Tour. Near Disaster Averted.

Some weeks back I asked Jeff Barton if he was game for this ride. We've done it together a couple of times in the past. He didn't seem overly enthusiastic which is understandable considering the cycling deaths of his daughter and Craig Buchi.

I did manage to recruit a FB friend Daniele Reni and also Leana Freebairn. I was hoping to meet up with them at some point.

The ride starts at 6am, so I was planning on awaking at 4:30am. I went to bed at a fairly good time having taken a sleeping pill early enough, which often times means I am going to wake up 8 hours after taking.

Well, I've been having some trouble with my alarm on my phone. I have it set to use my music files as the alarm sound. Some of my music files aren't working correctly. It didn't dawn on me that I was inviting disaster. Lenore woke me up abruptly at 5:40am. I scrambled frantically out of bed and dressed and gathered up my stuff. The bike and almost everything was already in the car. I raced to the UofU and got on my bike and started riding at 6:13.

However, the course was new this year and I was unacquainted with it. I went 1.5 miles and several minutes out of my way until I made my way back to the correct route and threaded my way slowly through the runners who were starting to gather for the marathon.

This was a new course and it was a LOT more turney and climbey than in the past. But, once I got out on the course I felt pretty good about my strength and speed. I had wanted to finish around 1:08. But, that would require my falling in with a fast group and riding with them. They were all long gone. Also they want you finished by 1:45:00 because of the runners then coming through on the course. With my late start the Bike Marshalls I passed (and I passed a lot) probably could have told me to get off the course. (At least the ones near the beginning.)

I'm pretty sure I was the last cyclist to start and I passed a lot of riders. Maybe half of those who were in the event. I came in with a time of 1:15:45 which I feel fine about under the circumstances. I had fun and got to meet Daniele and then also spend several minutes chatting with Leana and catching up with her. I'm not sure I have seen her for about 25 years or more.